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In the spring, Pieno Žvaigždės from Pasvalys decided to rock the defensive line: Steven Haney replaced Andrejs Milutinovičius.
Pasvalys Milk Stars / Schedule
The 25-year-old started the season at the Polpharma club in Starograd, Gdańsk, but the Polish team no longer won the playoffs and Haney decided to come to Pasvalys.
“My season in Poland is practically over and I love playing. These days, a lot of people are having a hard time because of it, and when I heard there was an opportunity to extend the season, I didn’t hesitate, Haney told the website “bcpienozvaigzdes.lt”. “I knew I was coming to a very good team fighting for the playoffs and that was a big factor in why I’m here now.”
The attacking defender knew what basketball meant to the people of this country even before he came to Lithuania, and he remembers our team from a very young age.
“I knew that good basketball is played in Lithuania. When I was young, I saw your country’s national team at the Olympic and FIBA tournaments. I was very impressed that such a small country plays basketball so well and has such a strong league.” Haney said.
The American noted that Pasvalys was a small city, but that was not a problem for him, because Haney himself grew up in a small town in Lansing, Michigan, based in the United States.
“Pasvalys is a small town, but I also grew up in a small one. For me, the size of the city does not matter and there is still not much to do during a pandemic. It’s a good place to be in the hallway, start your job, be with your teammates and do important things, ”said the defender.
Points are earned this season
Haney is the third season in Europe; Before arriving in Lithuania, the basketball player played in Kosovo, Sweden and Poland. The 25-year-old basketball player believes he has taken a step forward in his career with each new team.
“I think every year I took a step forward, from Kosovo to Sweden and from there to Poland, especially if we look at the physical level. The move from Poland to here is also different: there are more physical, and in Lithuania the competitors in each position they are a few inches taller, Haney named the differences between the leagues – Also the teams have a lot of good pitchers, they have skills on offense, which was not emphasized as much in Poland. LKL is a good league, I’m excited about the opportunity to compete here and show what I can do better ”.
Offensive defender Betsafe will definitely meet at least one familiar face in the LKL championship: In the 2019-2020 season, Haney has repeatedly battled current Šiauliai player Elvaras Fridriksson in Sweden.
“Yes, Elvar is a very good player and he was the leader of one of the leading teams in the league. However, I am still here for a short time and I did not have time to review the composition of all the teams and now I am just taking care to live up to my expectations and those of the coaches, “said Haney.
The basketball player, who grew up in Michigan, posted 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 11.3 utility points in the Polish championship in 29 minutes.
When introducing himself to Milk Stars fans, Steven repeatedly mentioned the word “energy”, which could be seen in his first league games.
“I try to play with a lot of energy on both sides of the court, I like to run in a fast attack and attack the basket. On defense, I try to take control of the ball by pushing an opponent. I just try to play hard, there are days when I really get really good, but I want to be more stable. Be that as it may, I always play with all my strength, with a lot of energy ”, the attacking defender introduced himself.
When Haney made the team, the Pasvalys club ranked fifth. It is his personal goals that the American associates with the team and the preservation of his rankings.
“Personally, I want to help the team stay where we are in the rankings. We see that there are many teams behind us that want to overtake us. So staying where we are now would be really nice. I will do my best to help the team win and I also want to make some personal improvements, ”said Haney.
Steven Haney spent four years in the NCAA and graduated from Loyola University in 2018. Immediately after studying behind the Atlantic, the American began his career as a professional basketball player in Kosovo.
Already in his first year on the Old Continent, the attacking defender faced a different style of play than the NCAA, but now Haney already feels that he has understood the subtleties of European basketball.
Photo L.Šilkaitis / BasketNews.lt
“Everybody in Europe is a little better. The NCAA University teams had one or two outstanding basketball players who needed to be stopped. There are six or seven of them here.
Of course, there is a different level of physique and size in Europe, a different treatment of criminals. There are no more whistles here that were actually recorded by the NCAA, but I don’t care, I enjoy it. I am in Europe for the third year and I am better understanding this style of play, ”said the newcomer to Milk Stars.
The Milk Stars defender is also distinguished by his not-so-typical American interest: Haney is interested in football and actively supports London’s Arsenal club on social media.
However, the basketball player’s connection to soccer is still related to basketball: Haney, as he claims, has always been a Kobe Bryant fan, and the French soccer team and longtime Arsenal striker, Thierry. Henry, reminded him of the Los Angeles Lakers legend from a young age.
“I remember when I was young, apparently, it was the 2004 European Football Championship, I saw the French team and Thierry Henry. I’ve always been a fan of Kobe (Bryant), and the way Henry took care of himself and played reminded me a bit of Kobe. That is why I became a fan of the French team and Arsenal, and I have been supporting these teams ever since. It’s a shame that the level of the latter has dropped at the moment, but in any case, it helps me divert my thoughts from basketball and enjoying other sports, ”Haney said.
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